PEMSEA E-UPDATES Vol. VII Issue 03 2006
ASEM Action Plan to Support SDS-SEA Implementation
MANILA, PHILIPPINES The Asia-Europe (ASEM) Oceans Initiative Technical
Working Group Meeting discussed and formulated a draft Action Plan to cooperatively
address global ocean challenges. The draft Action Plan includes the exploration of the
development of programs in support of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the
Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA) implementation.
The ASEM meeting, which was held from 29-31 March in Manila, marks a significant
development as this is the first dialogue held on ocean management in the inter-regional
context of ASEM. The meeting saw stronger cooperation between the two regions on
marine environmental protection and scientific research. Participants gained new insights
into ocean governance, learned of the respective ocean management experiences and
challenges of Asia and Europe, as well as best practices for the conservation and
sustainable use of ocean resources. The draft action plan will be submitted to the ASEM
Senior Officials Meeting for approval.
The draft action plan aims to forge a long-term cooperative arrangement on ocean
governance, marine environment protection and marine scientific research particularly in
the areas of national, regional and global significance, complementing and making
maximum use of the ASEM forum. ASEM was formally established in 1996 and serves
as an interregional forum between Asian and European member countries.
Representatives from 12 Asian and 11 European nations, the European Commission, the
United Nations Environment Programme, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic
Commission, and PEMSEA participated in the three-day meeting which was chaired by
Mr. Virgilio Vitug with Mr. Robert Jara, both of the Philippine Department of
Environment and Natural Resources. The meeting was co-sponsored by the countries of
Indonesia and Portugal.
Read PEMSEA's paper presentation during the ASEM Oceans Initiative Technical
Working Group Meeting: "East Asian Experience in Ocean Governance"
Cambodia Gears Towards Strengthened Implementation of SDS-SEA
SIHANOUKVILLE, CAMBODIA More than eighty stakeholders and representatives
from various national and local agencies and institutions in Cambodia gathered to discuss
the state of coastal and marine management and identify potential areas by which
challenges can be addressed through the implementation of the Sustainable Development
Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA) within the next few years.
Dubbed as Transformative Action for Sustained Coasts and the Environment towards
National Development or TRANSCEND, the event was organized by the Ministry of
Environment, Municipal Government of Sihanoukville and PEMSEA to provide a venue
for various sectors and institutions at the local and national levels to collectively
prioritize and transcend the barriers to sustainable coastal and marine management in
Cambodia.
TRANSCEND opened with the National Forum graced by Senior Minister H.E. Mok
Mareth, members of the National Coastal Steering Committee, NGOs and other key
agencies and groups. During the Forum, the status of coastal and marine management and
the national challenges to sustainable development were discussed. The Forum
culminated with the adoption of the Sihanoukville Declaration indicating the priority
areas and commitments among the participants.
The Forum was followed by the Consultative Workshops on the Integrated Coastal
Management and Environmental Investments, during which the participants identified the
specific activities needed to sustainably implement the SDS-SEA in Cambodia.
Among the issue-areas iterated and recommended by the participants were the following:
· Moving away from a fragmented and funding-driven approach to coastal
management to a programmatic mode, which can be done through the
development of a comprehensive national strategy and action plan for coastal and
marine management in Cambodia;
· Reviewing existing coastal and marine policies and formulating a comprehensive
legislation on coastal and marine management, and strengthening its
implementation;
· Continuous capability and institutional strengthening, particularly for the National
Coastal Steering Committee, and the possible creation of an academic program on
coastal management;
· Full implementation of the decentralization process to delegate more powers to
the local authorities in addressing environmental problems;
· Sharing of information and resources among implementers and stakeholders to
create greater impact on sustainable management of marine resources; and
· Greater involvement of stakeholders in the design and implementation of
environmental investments to ensure that projects are suited to socio-cultural and
environmental conditions.
The event ended with the hope that similar events be regularly organized to provide a
venue for timely discussion and resolution of issues in coastal and marine management.
COBSEA to Organize Workshop on Integrated Information Management Systems
Applications on Coastal and Oceans Management
BANGKOK, THAILAND "To strengthen regional cooperation on coastal and ocean
governance thru information sharing and establishment of network of databases" -- This
is the objective of the Workshop on Integrated Information Management Systems (IIMS)
Applications to be co-convened by the United Nation Environment Programme/East
Asian Seas Regional Coordinating Unit (UNEP EAS/RCU) Coordinating Body for the
Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) at the East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress 2006.
In a recent meeting between PEMSEA Regional Programme Director, Dr. Chua Thia-
Eng; and UNEP EAS/RCU Coordinator, Dr. Srisuda Jarayabhand; Dr. Jarayabhand
confirmed COBSEA's interest to co-organize the Workshop.
The rationale for establishing the Workshop is the existence of enormous data on coasts
and oceans in various countries and agencies and the need to establish an effective system
of coordination to fully utilize these information for the development of coasts and
oceans.
COBSEA in coordination with the EAS Congress Secretariat is planning to hold two
sessions for the Workshop. The first will look into the establishment of a mechanism for
networking of regional databases, means to improve coordination at the national and
regional level, and measures to address issues of confidentiality and intellectual property
rights. The second session will focus on the integrated information systems as a tool for
decisionmakers and for public awareness/education.
The Workshop on IIMS Applications is one of the major topics to be discussed under the
theme on Management-related Science and Technology. For additional information on
the Workshop and the EAS Congress, visit www.pemsea.org/eascongress; questions and
comments can also be sent to congress@pemsea.org.
FAO, NACA, AFS and SEAFDEC to Co-convene Workshops on Fisheries and
Aquaculture at the EAS Congress
BANGKOK, THAILAND Rights-based fisheries management and environment-
friendly aquaculture are two of the major topics to be addressed during the East Asian
Seas (EAS) Congress in December 2006, and this early, more and more regional
organizations are expressing interest to be part of the sessions on fisheries and
aquaculture.
In a recent meeting between PEMSEA Regional Programme Director, Dr. Chua Thia-
Eng; Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Assistant Director-General, Dr. He
Changchui; and FAO Senior Fishery Officer, Dr. Derek Staple; FAO expressed interest to
co-organize workshops and seminars during the Congress as well as to participate in
various Congress events.
PEMSEA was also informed of the South East Asian Fisheries Development Center's
(SEAFDEC) willingness to co-convene a workshop/seminar on Rights-based Fisheries
under the Sustainable Coastal and Ocean Development theme. Also under the same
theme, the Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia-Pacific (NACA) has agreed to work
with the Asian Fisheries Society (AFS) to co-organize the session on "Environment-
Friendly Aquaculture."
These sessions aim to look into recent developments related to fisheries management and
aquaculture and to the new initiatives on fisheries and aquaculture systems in line with
the campaign for sustainable and equitable use of coastal and ocean resources.
The preparations for the said sessions are ongoing. More information on the said sessions
and other Congress activities will be posted as new developments arise. Further
information on the Congress can be found at www.pemsea.org/eascongress; questions
and comments can be sent to congress@pemsea.org.
Congress Secretariat and National and Local Organizing Committees Meet to
Advance EAS Congress Preparations
HAINAN, PR China Members of the East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress Secretariat met
with representatives from the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), Hainan Provincial
Government and Haikou City Government of China last 2 March, to discuss the roles and
responsibilities of each party in the organization of the EAS Congress in December 2006.
The meeting initiated a formal coordination between the EAS Congress Secretariat and
the national and local committees for the Congress preparations. SOA Director General,
Mr. Li Haiqing presided the meeting. The Congress Secretariat informed the committees
of the progress made, as well as the overview, design and logistical requirements for the
organization of the December event. The Meeting also identified the roles and
responsibilities of each party.
Aside from the joint meeting, members of the Congress Secretariat also took the
opportunity to assess, document and gather information materials on the Congress venue,
hotels and surrounding areas and establishments for planning purposes.
In the coming months the national and local committees and the Congress Secretariat will
be working closely to ensure the smooth and successful organization of the event.
Muñoz City Shows Keen Interest in Public-Private Partnerships for Solid Waste
Management
NUEVA ECIJA, PHILIPPINES -- An exploratory site visit by PEMSEA on 23 March to
Muñoz City, in the Province of Nueva Ecija, confirmed a strong interest among local
officials in the application of public-private partnerships (PPP) to address the city's solid
waste management problems.
PEMSEA Technical Officer Maria Corazon Ebarvia and PEMSEA Investment Specialist
Rodolfo Pantillano met with city and local government officials and provided a briefing
on the objectives, process and expected outputs of a successful PPP initiative. The
mission informed the local officials of PEMSEA's willingness to provide technical
assistance to help develop local capacity in developing and implementing environmental
investment projects, including partnership and financing arrangements for a solid waste
management system. Muñoz Mayor, Hon. Nestor Alvarez, welcomed the mission and
signified his commitment and support for the PPP project and process in line with the
implementation of Republic Act 9003 also known as the Ecological Solid Waste
Management Act. The mission also included a field visit to an ongoing construction site
for a sanitary landfill and water impounding dam.
Also known as the Science City, Muñoz is host to the Central Luzon State University and
a number of agricultural research institutions.
Partnerships Forged for Puerto Galera Wastewater Initiative
MANILA, PHILIPPINES -- PEMSEA, the Louis Berger Group, Inc., and the Municipal
Government of Puerto Galera entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to
enhance collaboration, cooperation and commitment to facilitate a public-private
partnership (PPP) arrangement for a wastewater treatment facility in Puerto Galera.
In the MOA, the parties agreed to:
· Package, promote and catalyze public and private sector cooperation in the
development and implementation of the wastewater treatment facility through
PEMSEA's PPP process;
· Develop project investment proposals to support opportunities for PPP;
· Organize roundtable events to engage interested private sector investors in the
PPP process and the wastewater treatment investment opportunity in Puerto
Galera;
· Build awareness and support for the wastewater treatment facility and the PPP
approach;
· Develop consensus among stakeholders and adopt the necessary documents,
ordinances and institutional arrangements to ensure the success, affordability and
sustainability of the wastewater treatment facility and the PPP arrangement for
financing the construction and operation of the facility; and
· Share knowledge gained in the PPP approach in Puerto Galera.
The MOA was signed in a formal ceremony held on 31 March in Manila by Puerto
Galera Mayor, Hon. Aristeo E. Atienza; PEMSEA Regional Programme Director, Dr.
Chua Thia-Eng; and Sustainable Coastal Tourism in Asia-Philippines Team Leader, Ms.
Grace Favila; on behalf of the Louis Berger Group, Inc.
Puerto Galera in Mindoro Island is a major tourist spot known for its white beaches and
coral reefs. The municipality received 3.5 million tourists for the first half of 2005 alone.
Puerto Galera however is facing environmental problems particularly the lack of
wastewater treatment, which leads to the pollution of coastal waters. Poor water quality
in the bathing waters of Puerto Galera can affect the municipality's image as well as the
tourism industry that provides employment to many of the municipality's stakeholders.
The new partnership provides an opportunity to address the environmental problems of
Puerto Galera, through the PPP process. If successful, the experiences and knowledge
gained in the PPP implementation can be harnessed and shared to other areas in the
region facing similar challenges.
PEMSEA to Organize Ministerial Forum on Board Marine Surveillance Vessel 83
HAIKOU, PR CHINA As part of the ongoing preparations for the forthcoming East
Asian Seas (EAS) Congress 2006, the EAS Congress Secretariat headed by PEMSEA
Regional Programme Director, Dr. Chua Thia-Eng, conducted an ocular inspection of
China's Marine Surveillance Vessel 83, the proposed site for the Ministerial Forum on
the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia
scheduled on 14-15 December.
Marine Vessel 83 will be serving as the venue for the roundtable discussion and informal
dialogue of Ministers on the sustainable development of the seas of East Asia. The
culmination of the Ministerial Forum will be the signing of the Partnership Agreement,
which is an arrangement among the 15 East Asian Countries (Brunei Darussalam,
Cambodia, DPR Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, PR
China, RO Korea, Singapore, Timor-Leste, Thailand, and Vietnam) that will enable the
establishment of a regional implementing mechanism for the implementation of the
Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia.
Marine Vessel 83 will sail around Hainan Island for the duration of the Ministerial Forum,
symbolizing the importance of sustainable development and management of the coastal
and marine environment. Furthermore, it aims to focus the attention of the region's ocean
related / environmental ministers and decisionmakers on ocean issues.
The Government of China is proud to make Marine Vessel 83 a part of the Congress as it
exhibits China's innovation and capacity in shipbuilding. This surveillance and research
vessel is one of China's masterpieces; it is the newest marine vessel in China with state-
of-the art equipment that helps advance China's surveillance capability.
With the support and assistance from the State Oceanic Administration of China, Hainan
Provincial Government and the Haikou City Government, the EAS Congress Secretariat
is confident that the Ministerial Forum will be a huge success.
Further information on the Ministerial Forum and other Congress activities can be found
at www.pemsea.org/eascongress. Questions and comments on the Congress can be sent to
congress@pemsea.org.
PEMSEA Shares Experiences on ICM with World Maritime University Students
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES -- PEMSEA recently facilitated a field study for
graduate students of the World Maritime University (WMU), Malmo, Sweden on 27-31
March. The field study provided the WMU students the opportunity to gain knowledge
and practical insight on the application of integrated coastal management (ICM) in East
Asia and witness on-the-ground implementation of ICM at PEMSEA ICM sites.
The WMU field study group included ten students from Bangladesh, Cambodia,
Cameroon, Indonesia, Kenya, PR China, Portugal and Sweden and were lead by Prof.
Olof Linden.
The five-day field study included:
· A visit to the PEMSEA Regional Programme Office in Quezon City, where the
students participated in discussions on ICM practices in East Asia and learned
from PEMSEA's experiences on ICM implementation in the region;
· A boat ride along Manila Bay, which exposed the students to the bay's multiple
resource use conflicts and environmental issues and ongoing environmental
initiatives of local stakeholders;
· A visit to the Philippine Coast Guard Headquarters to gain a better understanding
on the role of the Philippine Coast Guard in the enforcement of marine
environmental protection and pollution prevention laws and implementation of
relevant international regulations;
· A field visit to Bataan to witness first-hand the activities of the Bataan ICM
Program. The visit included a boat ride to the mangrove and mussel culture farm
in Balanga, Bataan; and
· A visit to the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific, a leading institution of
excellence in maritime education and training in the Asia-Pacific region.
The participants appreciated the exposure provided by the field study, how direct
experience contributed immensely to their learning, and how the brief tour enabled them
to exchange ideas and share respective local experiences. They also showed appreciation
of local government efforts in the integrated management approach as witnessed in
Manila Bay and Bataan Province.
New PEMSEA Publications Reveal Xiamen ICM Experiences and Practical Lessons
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES Two new PEMSEA publications "Xiamen: An ICM
Journey" and "A Perspective on the Environmental and Socioeconomic Benefits and
Costs of Integrated Coastal Management: The Case of Xiamen, PR China" provide a
unique glimpse of Xiamen's integrated coastal management (ICM) experiences, benefits
gained, and the practical lessons learned from more than a decade's worth of ICM
implementation in one of China's most dynamic municipalities.
"Xiamen: An ICM Journey" studies the evolution of ICM as applied by Xiamen
stakeholders. It provides a historical backdrop of Xiamen Municipality and the events
and circumstances leading to the decision to implement ICM. Like an actual journey, the
case study guides the readers through the progressive development of Xiamen's ICM
efforts from its conceptualization, implementation and continual refinement. The case
study is a valuable resource for readers interested in coastal and ocean management as it
provides actual experiences and practical lessons learned at each stage of the ICM
process in Xiamen.
"A Perspective on the Environmental and Socioeconomic Benefits and Costs of
Integrated Coastal Management: The Case of Xiamen, PR China" answers one question:
`what did Xiamen gain from applying ICM?' The review reveals that ICM helped
improve the quality of life in communities dependent on coastal resources by providing a
management and governance framework, strategy and process for attaining needed
development while maintaining environmental quality, and the productivity and diversity
of the Xiamen coastal ecosystem. The review `gets some numbers on the table' and sheds
light on the effectiveness of ICM.
The two documents are part of PEMSEA's efforts to share knowledge and practical
experiences in ICM. Copies of the two publications are readily available and can be
downloaded from the PEMSEA website at:
www.pemsea.org/knowledgecntr/readings.htm.
COPYRIGHT © PEMSEA